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The world of business and finance gets skewered, as Bottom Liners tackles subjects such as foreign takeovers, office policies, getting a raise, and the fast-paced world of Wall Street.
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Surely you’ve heard of “The Avengers”… a group of superheroes who, despite their differences, work together towards a common purpose. Regardless if you are a comic fan, "The Avengers" offer an important lesson about teamwork and, more importantly, the value of teams.

"The Avengers" teach a valuable lesson that the power of one (team) is better than one person. A successful team becomes a genuinely cohesive unit that functions with a single purpose, giving them the power to accomplish wonders. Becoming a team can be challenging and requires all members to put their egos aside and trust one another. Team members respect and trust one another despite their disagreements, and see the value that each member brings to the table. Every member of a team serves a different purpose, but no one member is more important than another.

Here’s the way I see it: A wise man once said, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Give us a call the next time you need help on an important printing project. We’d love to become an extension of your dream team!

Richard Braak, President

Idea of the Week

Is a Bleed Right For Your Print Project?

The way you set up your print project can make all the difference in the final look and feel of your marketing piece. One of the most effective, yet simplest ways to change things up is by using a bleed in your design.

If you’re unsure what exactly a bleed is, how and when you should use it, and the potential challenges with adding a bleed to your project, keep reading. We’ll dig into the bleed concept and provide some best practices to make your print project look amazing every time.

What is a Bleed in Print?

A bleed is a printing technique where your design is printed bigger than the final product’s finished size and then cut down to size. It eliminates any unwanted white space or borders around the edge of your design.

To put it another way, have you ever seen a printed marketing piece where what’s printed runs all the way to the edges, while other printed pieces may have a white border where the printing stops? That’s a bleed.

The Pros and Cons of Bleeds in Print

Now that you understand what a bleed is, there are times that you may or may not want to go in this direction.

Here are some things to keep in mind when considering a bleed:

Bleeds work well if your design has a full-colored background.

If you have letters or images that you want to run right to the edge of your piece without the risk of being cut off, a bleed allows for that freedom.

A bleed can be slightly more expensive depending on the sheet size. (Remember, the image is printed larger and cut down to your desired finished size.)

If you’re printing a booklet or something that is going to be folded, you almost certainly want bleeds along interior borders, so it doesn’t look as though the project is unfinished. You want it to flow cleanly from one page to the next, and having the colors “meet in the middle” of the folded area is the best way to do that.

Bleeds are also great if you’re going to cut your project down to a smaller size, while you may want to skip the bleed if you’re creating a project with an exact border.

Understanding the Bleed Marks on Your Proof

Once you’ve decided to use bleeds in your print job, you’ll want to understand the markings on your proof when you receive it. The trim marks are generally seen as corner line markings just inside the printed content and ensure that when your pages are trimmed, you will see the full image on the page with no white border. Fold marks are generally dashed lines indicating where you fold an 11" x 17" sheet in half, for instance.

Fortunately, using the default values within your graphic design software often provides the best option. It is still helpful to understand how bleeds, trims and folds work to create the most professional print project possible.

For many people, taking time away from work can be difficult, but setting up your out of office (OOO) message is one of the first steps that can help you disconnect and feel less stressed when you are away from work.

Many people are hesitant to disconnect entirely from their email, even when on vacation, and fear an OOO could lead to missed opportunities. However, OOO messages can be a creative way to create emotional connections with prospects, clients, and coworkers.

Regardless of why you are out of the office, your message can help recipients feel more connected to you socially and can even serve as a conversation starter the next time you speak.

For example, you could say “Hi, I’m away from the office celebrating our 20th Anniversary with my beautiful wife. I’m hoping to perfect my sailing skills, and if I’m lucky, I will have a story to tell you about catching a few great fish! I won’t be checking my emails until (date), but if you need something urgent, please contact (add name and email).”

Another creative OOO that you can customize for contacts already in your address book could include sharing a helpful resource, such as saying, “I’m out of the office at a conference until (date), but in the meantime, I wanted to share this article featuring 20 great tips for XX. Enjoy!”

Not only can a well-crafted OOO give you the separation you need from your business emails, but it can also give you the opportunity to connect with your contacts more deeply upon your return.

Booklet envelopes are ideal for sending large or uniquely-sized business communications. Many booklet envelopes feature the flap on the long side of the envelope, as an easy way to insert and remove documents, including booklets, catalogs, folders, brochures, and more.

Booklet envelopes are available in a variety of colors and sizes, with many of the most popular sizes measuring 6”x9”, 9”x12”, or 10”x13”. Many booklet envelopes also feature heavier papers and stocks to protect important documents. Booklet envelopes can feature one to full-color promotional printing on both sides, or can even be designed as a unique translucent envelope which provides a sneak peek of the contents.

Because booklet envelopes are typically larger in size, they offer a large amount of marketing real estate that can be used as a teaser promotion for the envelope’s contents, or simply a promotional message about your business, website, upcoming sales, or much more.

If you’d like help creating the perfect booklet envelope for your essential documents, give us a call today! And remember, other printers may be nearby, but nobody comes close.

A wise man once said, “An internet user and his leisure time are soon parted.” If you are feeling overwhelmed by technology, it may be time to reduce stress-inducing clutter and downsize your digital world. Here are a few changes that can help you see why less truly is more:

Consider using a password manager that remembers all of your passwords and keeps your account information safe.

Uninstall apps that you rarely use or apps which you have similar versions, such as multiple photo editing apps. Choose one app you like the best and stick with it.

Consider deleting apps you use too much that offer no value in return, such as Facebook. Many studies show that the more you check Facebook, the worse you feel.

Turn off unimportant notifications to avoid constant distractions.

Consolidate calendars. Keep all of your important information in one spot.

Delete messages from your inbox every day. If you can answer an email in less than two minutes, do it right away. If it takes longer, move it into a “work in progress” folder.

If you are a Facebook user, downsize the list of your Facebook friends and keep only those you truly care about. If you are on the fence about unfriending people, simply unfollow them instead.

Clean up your computer’s desktop by removing as many icons as possible.